Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 28 by Karuho Shiina
To be published: Jan 2, 2018
Ayane refuses to tell Pin (Mr. Arai) that she likes him because he is respected teacher at their school, even though she’s completely fallen for him and told her friends all about it. Meanwhile Sawako and Kazehaya are enjoying their Christmas break and spending more time together outside of school. Chizuru and Ryu are also spending time together when she realizes that Ryu hasn’t told Toru (his brother and Chizuru’s first love) about them yet, which makes Ryu a little jealous. However, when they tell Toru he is so happy for them. Over by the school, Pin is not coping well with being single on Christmas, especially with all the couples he keeps seeing. He runs into Ayane, and chides her for being hit on by so many guys. He offers to walk her home to get rid of the horde of men asking her out. But she gets mad at him after he calls her a kid.
Toru and his wife Haruka come with their baby daughter Ayu to visit the family and Chizuru falls a little in love with her. A snowstorm develops on New Years Eve, which also happens to be Sawako’s birthday, but neither she nor Kazehaya can wait to see each other so they both brave a snowstorm to do so. Kazehaya gives her a ring and promises to give her a wedding ring in the future, as they ring in the New Year together. The whole gang gets together the next day for New Years Day at their local shrine to pray for good fortunes and Chizuru has invited Pin, which makes things super awkward for Ayane after their last meeting. The girls reminisce about the last couple of years they’ve been friends and wish each other well on final exams to graduate high school. Recommended for ages 14+, 5 stars.
If I didn’t already love this series, I can see how this series could drive a person crazy with its saccharine-y sweet scenes of first love and teen angst. And this volume had both by the dozen. I however just see it as just a fun shoujo series and being a hopeless romantic at heart, the adorable parts are even more adorable.
There were so many sweet and hilarious scenes in this volume. For example, the line that Sawako says early on, “Everything I dreamed when I entered high school came true with you [i.e. getting more friends and a boyfriend so she has people to hang with].” And then she and Kazehaya exchange gifts and they get so embarrassed just holding hands. It is too cute! And oh my goodness, when Sawako can’t go home because of the snowstorm and has to stay at Kazehaya’s house and their faces are priceless, especially after he gets a sex talk lecture from his mom twice! Then there is the gift-opening scene, which was so sweet I wanted to cry, but also laugh a bit because they’re still so awkward together after all this time.
I also love when Ryu and Chizuru are at his house, and he leans in for a kiss when Chizuru is fixing his Christmas antlers. Ooh and when Ayane sees Pin with his hair down and she gets so excited to see him, and then can’t help harassing him like old times. And later when they’re walking home together, I love when he tells her “to stop smelling so good,” like it’s something she could stop. After the snowstorm, on New Years Eve Day, Chizuru’s reaction to Sawako and Kazehaya-kun getting “lovey-dovey” was hilarious and reminded me of a similar reaction to Kyo in Fruits Basket with the protagonist’s two best friends. Overall, this was one of the best volumes yet and I can’t wait for volume 29, even though I know they will probably end the series in a couple of volumes.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from Simon and Schuster (Viz Media LLC) in exchange for my honest review.
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